


Into the Light

by POTFFAN



Series: Reaching for You [1]
Category: The Mandalorian (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Cara Dune - Freeform, Clan of 2+1, Din Whump, F/M, Family Bonding, Hurt Din Djarin, Hurt/Comfort, Injury, Inspired by Music, Mandelomera, Protective Baby Yoda, Protective Mandalorian, Slow Burn, description of injury, injured mandalorian
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-15
Updated: 2020-01-25
Packaged: 2021-02-19 02:53:44
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 9
Words: 12,445
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22270669
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/POTFFAN/pseuds/POTFFAN
Summary: Darkness looms over the forest planet of Sorgan and a sleepy little farming community is in its direct path. It was just supposed to be a job, just a quick dime. These small-time warlords were nothing right? An alternate universe story in which Din accepts a job to save Sorgan from certain doom.
Relationships: The Mandalorian (The Mandalorian TV)/Omera (Star Wars)
Series: Reaching for You [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1612027
Comments: 57
Kudos: 121





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> Hello! I was so excited to write this story I couldn't wait to put the prologue out and see what people thought. I fully expect this to be a good-sized story so long as you dear readers love it. I can't take full credit. The characters are obviously not mine and some of the plot elements are loosely based on the Red War campaign from Destiny 2 (my fave game). Essentially, Din met Cara before he landed on Sargon and meets Omera in a completely different way. Let me know what you think and if I should continue!

As Din hit the cold, slippery surface of the landing pad, he could feel his cracked ribs finally break all the way. Great, he thought. This was not going as planned. He struggled to lift his head and saw the massive titan plod victoriously up to him. Kamjuda Donaroy’s giant gray fist grabbed him around the upper torso and hoisted him up so that he could look his victim in the eyes. 

“You puny weakling though that you could be a hero? Thought that you could stop me? You are some worthless pile of dust,” Donaroy spat. Din really wanted to bite back with some witty quip, but his concussed brain couldn’t come up with anything except a weak groan. Donaroy chuckled. “Look at you,” he mocked as he shook his injured prey. 

Din could feel the blood from the deep stab wound in his side trickle into his boot. Suddenly he could feel the titan’s fist start to squeeze around his chest. He couldn’t breathe! He tried desperately to pry the ever-tightening fist open so that he could escape but there was no way. Even at full capacity Din knew he was no match for Donaroy’s strength. His armor was crunching and now he couldn’t even draw a shallow breath. He was going to be squeezed to death as he started to blackout. 

“You fought well, Mandalorian, but you and that pathetic village are no match for me. I will crush this entire planet,” Donaroy growled before releasing Din; straight off the landing pad. 

Din was falling. There was no stopping it. It was only twenty feet but for him, time seemed to move in slow motion. Suddenly the radio in his helmet crackled feebly to life. 

“Mando?! Where are you! I’m here!” Cara’s staticky voice called. 

He tried to answer, he really did, but his chest felt like it was caved in and he couldn’t bring in enough oxygen to answer. He hit the ground and the darkness rapidly swallowed him. The child. He had to get back. He had to warn them. He couldn’t let them down. He could still hear Cara desperately calling him as he faded, and his eyes closed. 

“Mando? Where are you? Mando?! DIN!”


	2. Sargon

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Mandalorian, the child, and Cara are in for an interesting proposition upon reaching the distant planet of Sargon.

One Day Earlier

“We’re landing Mando!” Cara called as the dark, emerald forest loomed closer and closer. Din looked up from the long-eared baby he was bouncing on his knee. He giggled and cooed as he waved his tiny hands at him. He knew he couldn’t see, but Din found himself smiling at the funny little creature.

“Ok, you little womp rat. You ready to lay low for a while and stretch your legs?” The baby giggled in response.

Din picked up the baby and cradled him gently as he walked to the cockpit where his newfound travel partner carefully setting the plane down on a good-sized clearing deep within the woods.

“Figured it would be safer not to make our arrival noticeable,” Cara explained. “According to this map,” she gestured to a holographic map projecting from the dashboard, “We should come across a small town. There’s a boarding house. It’ll be better for the kid to stay there than cooped up in this ship.”

“Sounds like a plan,” Din replied. “Let’s go.”

The trio left the ship and hiked through the woods. Sure enough, Cara was right, and soon they entered the tiny village. Din clutched the baby close. He wasn’t quite ready to let him down yet. There were too many large people and animals that could trample or eat the little creature.

“There’s the inn,” Din said, pointing to a warm and cabin-like building just outside the village square.

Inside was warm and cozy. Only a few people were sitting around, hunched over warm bowls of soup or mugs of ale. Perfect. The fewer people that saw them, the better. The group chose a table in the bad; it was less conspicuous. The baby cooed as Din gently set him down on the chair. From behind the counter, the bubbly innkeeper saw them sit down and breezed over to the table.

“What can I get you guys?”

“Just a bowl of bone broth for the little one,” Din said gruffly. There was something about this woman’s bubbly cheerfulness that annoyed him.

“Anything else?” she chirped.

“Just the broth,” he huffed.

The innkeeper bustled away, unaware of her cheerful mood and the effect on her new guests. Cara couldn’t help but chuckle.

“What’s got you all bunched up and grumpy,” she pestered as she nudged him playfully.

“We shouldn’t have come here. We stick out like a sore thumb. Someone is going to come looking for us and one of these people here or that innkeeper are going to rat us out,” Din said as he gestured around the inn. Cara started to laugh, but the genuine worry in Din’s voice made her heart ache a little.

“Hey, relax. We’re millions of lightyears away from anyone who would want to hurt the little guy. We’ll be fine right here ok?”

Din sighed as the innkeeper brought a bowl of piping hot broth and set it in front of the child who grabbed it eagerly and began to sip it. Cara was right, he needed to relax.

Two hours later found the trio in a near-empty in. Cara was leaning back in her chair, propped up against the wall, and snoozing peacefully. Din watched as the little green baby fiddled with the empty bowl that he had licked clean when Din noticed an elderly man at the bar, looking at him. He tried to ignore him but as if the man sensed he was looking at him, he got up and hobbled over to their table. Din’s hand moved instinctively to the blaster at his hip.

“You, you are a Mandalorian,” he said in a gravelly voice.

“Who’s asking?” Din asked. At this point, Cara had woken up. Good, he had backup in case this man was a bounty hunter who was looking for him. 

“I’m from a remote community not far from here. We’ve been having some…problems.”

“What kind of problems?” Cara asked as she leaned forward. Her interest was piqued.

“Warlord,” the man said with obvious horror in his tone.

“What does that have to do with me?” Din asked. He felt his skin crawl at the man’s words.

“Please, I have heard the stories and the legends about your people. I know your talents and skills exceed any other in the galaxy. I know you can dispose of him.”

“It’s not my place to get involved,” Din said.

“Please, I beg you. My people live in constant fear. There have been deaths, kidnappings, pillaging. We can’t take much more of this.” The tremor in the man’s voice was unmistakable. Din could see tears in his eyes. “We can pay you. We will pay you when the job is done.”

Din sighed. He had just wanted to lay low.

“Alright. I will help.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Got some great feedback so I guess we're continuing on! Sorry if this chapter is a tad dull. Have to lay the plot groundwork. Din whump is coming in the next chapter! As always, rate and review and let me know if I should continue!


	3. The Titan

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Rob may have underestimated Donaroy, and once again the Mandalorian has no plan.

It was night by the time the little band of foreigners, led by the elderly man reached the farm. Din scanned the tiny community around him. There were campfires scattered throughout where women were cooking for their families. A few older children ran past, yelling and tossing a ball between them. A father was swinging a giggling child around in a playful manner.

“This is my village,” the elderly man said with a touch of pride in his voice.

“So, you are the chief?” Cara asked. The man nodded affirmatively.

“My name is Robgon Holste, but you can call me Rob.”

As Rob lead them deeper into the village, the residents started to notice them and couldn’t help but stop and stare. A few children gasped when they saw the child gazing from his arms with his big, wondering eyes. Din’s arms tightened ever so slightly around his little green dependent. Rob stopped in front of a small hut located in the middle of the village.

“Right this way,” he gestured as he pulled back the gauzy curtain that served as the door. Din stepped back a little to let Cara go in first. As he did, he looked up and a woman caught his eye. Her small and slight frame was bent over a boiling pot of stew. Her silky black hair stretched long to her waist and the light of the fire lit up her face. Her eyes sparkled. She must have sensed him staring because her eyes shifted, and she looked at him. A small smile played around her lips. He couldn’t tell if her smile was for him or the child in his arms.

“Mando?” Cara’s voice jolted him out of his trance. He turned and saw Rob and Cara waiting in the doorway for him. Cara had a perplexed look on her face. “You coming?”

“Sorry,” Din said abashedly and entered the hut, leaving the pretty woman outside.

Rob pulled out a small holograph disk and pushed a button. An image of a bulky, menacing alien was projected for Din and Cara to see. The snarling face sported a large ring running through his hawk-like nose. Tattoos covered the muscular arms and a long black pony-tail sprouted from his large head. Though the facial details were unclear in the holograph, Din could tell this creature was tough, hardened by years of violence and war.

“This is Kamjuda Donaroy,” Rob said. His voice quivered with fear ever so slightly. “He’s a ruthless warlord that seems to have settled on the outskirts of this territory. There used to be other warlords around, but he wiped them all out. Now he just satisfies his cravings for violence by terrorizing surrounding villages and farms. Din set the restless child down before moving in closer to study the picture.

“I’ve never seen his kind before,” Din observed.

“Nor have I. He’s at least twice as large as a Wookie. Maybe even four times.” Din studied the picture for a few more seconds before pushing the button on the projector and making the image disappear.

“I can take care of it. I’ve handled these small-time warlords before. Should be easy,” Din said.

“Oh, thank you! Here, let me give you a down payment now and I’ll give you the rest later,” Rob gushed.

“That won’t be necessary.”

“Please, at least take a little, for your son. I insist.” He held out a small leather pouch. Rob had a point.

“Thank you,” Din said as he took the pouch gratefully. He turned to Cara. “Get some rest tonight. We’ll set out in the morning.”

“There’s room in our barn for you two and the child. It’s not much, but it is warm,” Rob offered.

“That’ll be just fine. Thank you,” Din reassured.

Later that night, Din found himself tucked into the loft of the barn with plenty of warm blankets. Cara was sleeping in a make-shift hammock below, snoring away. He smiled. She could wake a whole town with that snore. He’d stripped off his armor save for his helmet and now lay on a blanket-covered pile of hay. The child was sleeping peacefully in a tiny nest he’d constructed for him. Din leaned over and tucked the blanket around the baby to make sure he was warm before laying back down. Thoughts tumbled over in is head. It had been an eventful two weeks though it hardly seemed that long. Within a span of a few days, he had met Cara who had helped him to find his newly adopted son and then subsequently helped him rescue the baby from the hands of the Imperials. Now he was here, trying to protect this otherwise helpless village from a fearsome warlord. He supposed it was much more honorable than scraping by with The Guild.

He checked to make sure Cara was sound asleep before carefully removing his helmet. He sighed as the cool night hair hit his face. He always relished the rare moments in which he could take off his helmet and feel free. With the kid now a permanent fixture in his ship until he could find out where he came from, he figured that these moments would be even less. Perhaps, since he was now the baby’s father until further notice he could take off his helmet in front of him, just as his adopted father had. Din ran a hand through his dark wavy hair and the woman he’d seen by the fire pit flashed into his mind. She was absolutely beautiful but it could never be, not when she couldn’t see his face, and not when he knew nothing about her. Yawning and stretching, his hand found its way to the soft fuzzy head of the sleeping baby by his side and he stroked his soft ears gently until he too was sound asleep.

********

The next morning dawned clear and bright. Din was up and dressed before either Cara or the baby were awake to see him helmetless. He checked his weapons.

“Still have a few whistling birds left and my blow torch,” he thought to himself although both were rather low on ammo. He would save those for only the direst of situations. Soon Cara was up but the baby still slept. Din decided that the poor little guy must be tuckered out from the constant traveling and adventure and chose to let him sleep, but not before peeking in on him one last time to make sure he was alright before climbing down from the loft.

“You ready for this Mando?” Cara asked as she shouldered her blaster rifle.

“I am. This should be a quick job, in and out,” Din replied. He felt confident that this would be over within an hour, especially with someone as experienced as Cara working with him. Once again, they met Rob in his hut.

“If you head east, beyond the town I met you in, you’ll find Donaroy’s base,” Rob said, gesturing to a projected map of the area. Din nodded.

“We’ll take it from here. This kid is still asleep in the barn. It will be safer for him to stay here.” Rob nodded understandingly.

“I will send the village nurse to look after him. He will be in good hands. She has a great way with children.”

“Thank you.”

“Come on, Mando! Daylight’s burning,” Cara called. The Mandalorian trotted to catch up to his companion as the two-headed in the direction of the _Razorcrest_.

“Godspeed, Mandalorian. May you bring peace to my village,” Rob called after them. As the duo marched in silence further and further away from the village, Din couldn’t quite squash the unnerving premonition settling in his stomach.

*********

The sunset blazed a fiery red over the forest as Cara and Did picked their way swiftly through the deep underbrush. Both unanimously agreed that it would be smarter to land the _Razorcrest_ far from where Rob said the warlord’s camp was and go on foot. It was less conspicuous this way. They stopped for a minute to gather their bearings. Din checked the map Rob provided them with.

“We’re getting close.”

“I think there’s a clearing just past this ridge.” Cara pointed up the steep hill. “Bet it’s in there.” Din nodded in reply. “Do we have a plan?”

Din thought for a split second, but these situations never played out if they were meticulously planned.

“Just shoot,” he replied before trudging up the hill with Cara hot on his heels.

The pair came to the top of the ridge and Din was struck completely dumbfounded. This was not some primitive campsite. This wasn’t even a campsite. Rather than a clearing, instead, there was a cliff roughly thirty feet in the air. Built into the side of this cliff was a large building sticking out like some large, unnatural outcropping. A landing pad jutted out just below the overhanging base where ships were coming and going just like flies on a carcass.

“Wh-what is this?” Cara asked, completely shocked to her core.

“This is no small warlord,” Din replied, equally as shocked. The two backed away slowly before they were seen.

“What do we do?” Din racked his brain, trying to come up with a plan.

“Ok, new plan. I’m going in. I need you to be air support. You’re better in the sky and will be able to get in at a close range. Then we can just escape on the _Razorcrest_.”

“That easy huh?’ Cara smirked.

“Yep, in and out. Just like we planned.”

“Ok, I’ll go get the ship. I’ll meet you there.”

********

Din slunk around the corner of a long corridor. It had been shockingly easy to get into the base. He was surprised at the lack of guards for such a large base. He'd encountered only 3 and a sentry returning from patrol, all of which were easily subdued. He came upon a room that resembled a throne room. He could hear talking. Carefully he snuck up to the door and caught a glimpse of his quarry, Kamjuda Donaroy. He was talking to a Devaronian or rather shouting at him.

“Why hasn’t the drilling begun?! I planned to move forward tonight and instead you’re telling me I have to wait three more days?! I put my trust in you, Tenmarl.”

“Apologies, My Liege. There is simply not enough manpower to move the drill any faster,” Tenmarl replied, surprisingly cool and collected.

“Well then find some! Round up villagers in that pathetic little mud hole if you half to. I’ve waited half a lifetime for this and I won’t wait anymore. Now get going!” The massive alien bellowed.

**(This next part is best enjoyed if read while listening to _Rise_ by John Dreamer)**

“As you wish, My Liege,” Tenmarl said before bowing and walking out. Din pressed himself as far into the recess beside the door as possible as the Devaronian walked past. Once he was sure he was gone he turned once more to the door. Donaroy had his back turned. Slowly and carefully the Mandalorian crept up behind him, dagger in hand. He raised it to strike when suddenly, with reflexes so quick Din didn’t even have the chance to anticipate it, Donaroy turned a swift 360 degrees, throwing all his weight into his powerful fist and slamming it into Din. The Mandalorian went flying to the other side of the room, the breath knocked out of him. 

“Who do you think you are, breaking into my base and trying to kill me?” Donaroy bellowed as he stomped towards him. Din was able to size the titan up. He was indeed at least four times as large as a Wookie and carried a massive, steel shield strapped to his arm. His fearsome face was curled up in a snarl and sported scars and burns from past encounters. Donaroy grabbed him by the chest plate, held him high in the air, and slammed him down with all his strength. Din grunted in pain. He definitely felt some ribs crack. “Did those pathetic lumps from that little farm send you to kill me?”

"Cara now!" Din called over the radio in his helmet. Within seconds loud cannon fire and explosions could be heard outside. The base rumbled and shook.

"What the-" Donaroy was temporarily distracted by Cara's activity outside and Din took the opportunity to jump with the agility of a cat and catch Donaroy around the neck. The titan was caught off guard and fell to the floor with a loud crash. The Mandalorian rolled off and jumped back up before pulling out his blaster and firing from the hip. The titan blocked the shot with his shield and laughed as it ricocheted harmlessly into the wall. "Like my shield? I thought you would recognize it. It's Bhaskar. It took quite a bit to build this. Mandalorians are difficult to hunt." A twisted smile crossed the titan's face and an evil laugh escaped past his dirty teeth. 

"N-no..." Din was in pure shock. At least eight or nine Mandalorian suits of armor must have gone into making that shield, maybe more. Rage burned inside him as he barreled towards the titan, baring both daggers that extended from his bracers. 

Donaroy tried to block Din with his shield but the Mandalorian was far smarter. He slid under the shield, under the massive warrior, and swung onto Donaroy's back. The massive alien yelled and started to buck and swing his arms wildly, trying to tear Din off his back. The latter clung with all his strength despite his protesting ribs. He couldn't get a clear, killing swipe with the daggers lest he be struck with a massive, flailing fist, but rather tried to land a blow or two into an unprotected eye. Donaroy managed to grasp Din from around his torso and threw him off with all his might, but not before he was able to sink his dagger into his cheek and drag it all the way up his face. The titan yowled in pain and clutched the wound as Din flew through the air and crashed against the massive window on the east side of the room, cracking, but not shattering it. He jumped up and fired his blaster a few more times while Donaroy was distracted and his shield was down. He ran full force at the titan, intending to knock him down so he could clear headshot. He lept up, intending to catch the beast around the neck again when suddenly Donaroy straightened and slammed Din back with his shield. The Mandalorian grunted in pain as he fell back. Donaroy chuckled, looking even more fearsome now with the bloody cut running jaggedly up his face, right over his eye. 

"You can give it up now. You've fought quite valiantly but those pathetic farmers aren't worth dying over," Donaroy taunted with mock pity. 

“They-they won’t live in f-fear of you any longer,” Din growled through his pain. He was tired and trying to regroup. Donaroy cackled.

“Do you know what I plan to do with them?” Donaroy teased as he moved closer to Din, who edged away from him. “I’m going to conquer this whole planet. I’m going to enslave its people so that they can help mine the natural resources of Sargon to power my armies and my weapons. I’ll be unstoppable!”

Din edged further and further away from the titan. “W-why are you telling me this?”

“Because you won’t live to tell anyone,” Donaroy said before giving a slight nod. Before Din could turn around, he felt the sharp point of a dagger jam deeply into his side and twist viciously before being ripped out with a spray of blood. Din cried out and fell to the floor. Tenmarl chucked evilly at his good work.

“Poor Mandalorian. I suppose those stories of your people and their accomplishments were just myths,” Donaroy said with mock sadness.

“Maybe,” Din choked out through the burning pain in his lower torso. “But mine isn’t,” he cried before setting off his flame thrower and blasting it at Donaroy and Tenmarl. The titan yelled as he was kept at bay by the flames. Din took the opportunity to bolt, pushing aside just how badly he was hurt and barreling towards the exit. Perhaps if he could lure Donaroy out into the open, Cara could snipe him from the ship. 

“Cara! Cara come in! I need you on the landing pad now! Quick!” Din called over the intercom in his helmet.

“I’m trying Mando! There’s too much firepower out here!” He could hear the loud crackling of shots being fired before a terrific explosion sound cut off all sound and he was left with static.

“Cara! Cara! Come in Cara!” Din cried. He could hear Donaroy thundering behind him and he tried desperately to pick up the pace. “Cara can you hear me?!”

Suddenly Donaroy was on him. A giant fist swiped out and caught him square in the chest, sending him crashing through a window onto the launch pad. A storm had picked up and wind and pelting rain made it almost impossible to see. As Din hit the cold, slippery surface of the landing pad, he could feel his cracked ribs finally break all the way.

********

Cara should have expected being met with cannons as soon as the _Razorcrest_ was within sight of the base, but she did not expect them to have any kind of accuracy. She was sadly mistaken. Immediately she was hit with torrential firepower and turned the ship's guns towards the turrets, trying to even her odds of survival. It also didn't help her that it was downpouring and she could hardly see. When Din’s voice crackled over the headset the ship was taking more and more damage. Before she could respond to his desperate cry for help a well-aimed shot took out the gun on the ship causing it to shudder and the radio to cut out. She was going to crash if she didn’t come up with something. Spotting the landing pad, she did a quick scan and discovered, to her relief, that there were no turrets under it. She could hover under there temporarily until she could fix the radio find out where the Mandalorian was.

The ship shuddered and groaned as she dodged through more shots until at last, she brought it to an idle hover. Quickly she opened up a panel on the dashboard and messed with the wires, tweaking here and there until at last, the radio and power crackled back to life.

“Mando?! Where are you! I’m here!” There was no answer and she was starting to worry. Suddenly she heard a loud crash on his end, followed by a horrible rasping sound, like someone frantically struggling for air. “Mando? Where are you? Mando?! DIN!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AHHHHH thanks for all the good feedback. Keep the comments coming! It always helps. Don't worry this is just the start of the Mando whump. I promise the next chapter will satisfy all your cravings for it. Got to do a ton of research for this chapter to find appropriate names and actual Star Wars races to ensure accuracy. Next chapter coming soon!


	4. Slipping

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The aftermath of the encounter with Donaroy is deadly and fierce.

“Mando! Mando!”

Din’s eyes flashed open as Cara’s voice jerked him out of the darkness. He was still lying in the dirt where he’d landed. He tried so hard to answer but all he could manage was a violent, agonizing cough. He could feel blood running down his chin and soaking the cowl around his neck. The numbness and shock of the fall were wearing off and the pain was hitting him rapidly. He couldn’t draw in enough air to answer, he could only lay there and try so hard to breathe.

********

“Come on, Mando, where are you?” Cara muttered worriedly to herself. He hadn’t answered in almost twenty minutes since the crashing sound on the radio. She hovered the ship lower, still choosing to stay under the landing pad for protection. A lightning bolt flashed in the sky and a familiar glint caught her eye. “Oh my god!” Cara gasped and brought the _Razorcrest_ down and jumped out, running to her fallen comrade. “Din! Din, can you hear me?” She fell to her knees beside him.

The horrible rasping sounds coming from the modulator in his helmet both terrified her and wrenched at her heart. He gripped the ground underneath him, trying to ground himself as he struggled for breath.

“C-C-C-Car-a,” he managed to choke out before another cough tore from him, making him cry out softly. "C-Ca-Can't bre-breathe!"

“It’s alright buddy. I’ve got you. We have to get out of here, back to the village,” she said through gritted teeth, trying to push aside her fear. She needed a clear head if they were going to make it out of here alive. She hated to move him as she suspected he was seriously injured but if they stayed here any longer someone was sure to find them. As carefully as she could, she hoisted him up by the chest plate so that she could get behind him and wrap her arms around his upper torso and drag him to the _Razorcrest_.

The pain ripped through his chest so violently he blacked out temporarily. When he came to again he was laying on the floor of his ship and Cara was flying them far away from the base, jerking the ship this way and that to avoid cannon shots. Every breath brought agony and he was feeling light-headed from the blood loss. His vision grayed and flashes of memories and people danced before his eyes’ the other Mandalorians he’d left behind after escaping the Guild. They were his family, and they would never know he died on some remote planet far, far away. He thought of the kid. Poor little fella would be alone in the world and he would never know him truly. He wished he’d shown him his face when he had the chance.

“We’re almost there, Din. Just stay with me,” Cara begged from the cockpit. She was using his real name. The situation must be grave. He knew she was just as scared as he was. If only he could tell her he was sorry. The ship jostled as Cara landed the ship. Her hands were shaking too badly for her to land with any of the finesse she typically had when it came to flying. She punched the button to lower the ship's ramp and she hurried out into the pouring rain. “Help! Please we need help!” she called. Rob and a few of the village elders poked their heads out of a hut and upon seeing her desperation, ran out to meet her.

“What’s going on? Where’s the Mandalorian?” Rob asked, searching her face for answers.

“He’s on the ship. He’s hurt badly. Please help!” Her voice was wavering as she fought hard not break down. Crying wouldn’t fix anything.

Rob turned to one of the elders. “Alert Omera immediately. We'll bring him there,” he ordered before following Cara into the ship, the other elders trailing behind. Din was writhing on the floor, clawing weakly at his chest plate in an effort to get even a little air into his lungs. “We’re taking him to Omera. She’s in her hut with the baby. She’ll be able to help,” Rob said in a serious tone as he gestured to the other elders. They surrounded the fallen Mandalorian and with as much care as they could manage, picked him up and carried him out of the ship. Din let out a strangled cry as even the smallest amount of movement caused him agony. Cara followed them worriedly to a hut. Inside a dark-haired woman, Omera, was gently rocking the little green baby but stood up when the rain-soaked group entered the hut.

“Put him on the bed,” she ordered as she went to put the baby down in a crib.

The injured man groaned as the elders set him down and tried to start removing his armor. Weakly he attempted to bat their hands away. “C-Cara…no!” he managed to gasp. Cara sensed his panic and was quickly at his side.

“Let me do that, you may leave now,” Cara told the elders, who nodded and left silently. She turned back to her friend and started to slip his helmet over his head. With a surprising amount of strength, he grabbed her wrists, stopping her.

“N-No!” he gasped hoarsely.

“Alright, alright,” Cara conceded as she moved her hands away and he let go. Instead, she started working on the other parts of his damaged armor and soon had it stripped off and his shirt opened so she could asses the damage. She tried hard not to be sick. His chest was splattered with ugly, dark red bruises and she could tell many if not all of his ribs were broken. His whole chest had been crushed in the titan's strong grip. There was a deep, gaping stab wound in his side, gushing what precious blood he had left. It didn’t look good at all. “Alright, pal. I’ve gotta take this thing off now ok? We can’t fix you up with it on.” Once again she reached for his helmet, and once again he tried to fight her.

“Pl-please!” he gasped.

“Listen to me!” she couldn’t help but shout as she put both hands on either side of his helmet, forcing him to look at her. He could see the complete terror in her eyes. “I know that you can’t and I know that it’s part of your code and you’d rather have a warriors death and all that other crap but I need you alive, ok? Your son needs you alive! I can’t take care of him. I just can’t. He needs you, ok? He needs you alive. You have to live.” Tears were brimming in her eyes now. “So just let me take this damn helmet off ok?”

He couldn’t force words out of his breathless lungs, but his hands slid weakly away from hers, relinquishing. Carefully she pulled his helmet off and suppressed a gasp. Blood painted his lips and ran down his bruised and bloody face.

Omera hurried to the pair with her arms full of supplies and her stomach dropped when she saw how extensive his injuries were. She hardly had any supplies to begin with and the materials she had were primitive at best. He needed state of the art care immediately and even then his chances would be slim. Even now she could see his skin taking on a sickly blue color from the lack of oxygen. He was dying right in front of them, but she was going to at least try. 

“Cara, fetch some water now,” she ordered as she began mixing powders and other potions. She could at least ease his pain but the rasps from the bed were growing weaker and weaker. Cara tore herself away from his side to help.

Din gripped the blankets and fought as hard as he could for breath but it just wasn’t coming. His chest felt like a boulder was resting on it and he was so tired. It would be so easy to just quit. He heard a little noise beside him and he turned to see the child waddling to his bedside. He must have crawled out of the crib in the commotion. There was worry and concern in those big eyes as he made little grunts and noises that sounded frightened. The little creature stopped and closed his eyes as he raised his hands towards his injured protector. Din took this as fear from his little adoptee.

“C-Cara!” he choked out. “The-the-the k-kid!” he didn’t want the innocent baby to see him like this, witness him dying right before his big, wondering eyes. The poor kid had spent the last two weeks surrounded by fear and violence. He couldn’t bear to scar the child further. As Cara hurried over, suddenly a strange sensation overtook him. The pain in his chest was receding rapidly. He groaned as he could feel bones and tissue shift and start to heal. He gasped as breathing became easy once more, bring much-needed oxygen into his lungs. The baby’s body started shaking and he dropped his little arms before slumping up to the floor. Cara scooped him up and cradled him in her arms. 

“I-is he ok?” Din asked in a shaky voice. Talking was much easier.

“I think so,” Cara affirmed as she laid the baby in the cradle and sat beside Din.

“What was he doing?”

“I-I don’t know. I can b-breathe now,” Din rasped before sucking in a sharp breath as Cara pressed a bit of the blanket up against the wound. Now that the pain in his chest had abated the stab wound was making itself known very forcefully.

“Yeah, but you’re still bleeding out. Omera! We need some bandages!” Cara called. The young woman brought a roll of thick bandages and a bowl of warm water and her eyes widened in surprise at Din's sudden turn in health.

“What happened? I-I don’t believe it!”

“I don’t know. It’s like that little guy healed him or something. But he’s not out of the woods yet,” she said as Din was slipping away once more into the realm of agony, unaware of anything as he gripped Cara’s hand tightly.

Omera nodded and got to work.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ah! I love some good Din whump. Don't worry, I'm not quite done torturing our little cinnamon roll! Still more story to come. As always, rate and review!


	5. In the Darkest Night

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Late-night vigil brings realizations and confessions.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thought I'd get one more chapter out before the holidays! Aren't you impressed? Thank you so much, dear readers, for all your support!

Omera stood up and stretched. She’d been sitting in the same spot for about an hour or so, right by the Mandalorian’s side, since Cara left. The fever had started soon after she’d sewn up the gaping wound in his side and bandaged him in clean linens, and it continued to climb to dangerous heights. In a last-ditch attempt to save her friend from certain doom, she’d volunteered to fly to the nearest metropolis on Sargon, several hours away and try to get some medicine that could help, leaving Omera to sit in quiet vigil.

She filled a bowl with cool water, grabbed a clean cloth, and went to sit by the bedside again. She dipped the cloth into the bowl and rang it out before beginning to sponge off his face and forehead. Gently she let the water trickle down the sides of his face and neck in an effort to cool him down. Carefully she wiped the blood away from around his mouth. She caught herself lingering at his lips.

Din groaned and stirred. Ever so slightly his eyes opened but his vision was hazy with fever.

“Shhhh it’s alright,” a soft voice soothed, but it wasn’t Cara’s. He blinked his eyes a few times and his vision cleared.

“It’s you,” he murmured. She couldn’t help but smile.

“It is.” She said, blushing a little. “It’s nice to see your eyes. I'm Omera." Din paused for just a moment. Other than Cara, who learned his name by accident, he had never once told another living thing his name. It was a part of him that was buried with his past.

"I'm Din," he rasped softly. His own name felt strange on his lips. It had been so many years since he had said it. 

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Din. Your little green traveling companion was quite the handful earlier. I can see where he gets it from," she said with a teasing smile as she gently patted his cheek with the cool cloth. 

Din started to smile but it ended in a grimace as the wound in his side throbbed.

“I-I’m sorry,” he groaned as Omera gripped his hand. “I-I tried to stop him.”

“I know. I know,” she reassured. “Cara told us what happened. None of us could have known Donaroy was capable of this, or what his plan was.”

“I f-failed,” he choked out as his breath got more frantic.

“Shhhh it’s alright. It’s ok,” she soothed. “Just calm down. We’ll figure this out later but right now you need rest.” She moved so that she was lying beside him and stroking his hair. He calmed almost immediately and leaned into her touch. It had been so long since he’d felt another human touch, and damn was he glad it was hers. He looked into her eyes with his fever hazed ones and she rested her hand on his cheek, inexplicably drawn into him. She stayed by his side, running her hand through his hair until he fell asleep and she couldn’t help be wonder what it would be like to do this every night, sans the dangerous fever of course.

********

A baby cry woke her up. She’d dozed off with Din sleeping fitfully in her arms. It took her a second for the grogginess to clear her head before she realized it was the tiny green baby crying from the crib. Carefully she slid off the bed without waking Din and went over to the crib.

“There, there little one. It’s alright,” she soothed as she picked him up and rocked him gently in her arms. With surprising strength for a little guy, he tried to squirm out of her arms.

Afraid she was going to drop him, carefully she set him down on the floor. The baby waddled over to the bed and hoisted himself up. He crawled a little closer and snuggled down against his adopted father’s chest as if he could sense something was very wrong. Omera sat down in her chair beside the bed again as the child looked at her with worried eyes.

“Alright, I supposed you can have my spot, for now, little one,” she said softly. The baby cooed softly and continued to snuggle against Din. “You’re very lucky. He cares very much for you. I can tell.”

*******

Omera felt like her head was going to burst. Cara still wasn’t back yet and they were running out of time. The baby wailed from the crib. Din’s fever had only risen throughout the night and now she couldn’t even come up into lucid consciousness. The blankets under him were soaked with sweat and his breathing came in harsh gasps. He spasmed and cried out deliriously and Omera was afraid that the child was going to accidentally get hurt. She had no choice but to put him back in the crib while she rushed around trying every way she knew how to bring down the fever. The baby’s cries grew louder and she felt like she was going to start crying any minute. Everything was falling apart around her.

“Please, please no!” Din cried. In his fever addled mind, he was reliving the day his parents were killed. He reached out for them, for any sort of lifeline as he was left alone in that cold, dark cellar.

Omera gripped his hand and tried her best to console him but it was no avail. He wasn’t here anymore. The heat radiating off him was dangerous and was going to kill him. He tried to sit up. 

"H-he's coming. W-we have to go," he said desperately as he gripped her shoulders. "D-Donaroy's coming." The fear in his eyes was heart-wrenching. 

"It's alright, Din," she soothed. "We're safe. You're safe. Please, you have to lay down. It's alright," she repeated over and over and she gently eased him back to the bed. 

He twitched and muttered for a few more minutes before slipping into unconsciousness. Somehow this was scarier because now he was completely unresponsive to any stimulation whatsoever. 

“Oh, Cara, please! Please hurry,” she begged silently to herself as she monitored his pulse and breathing. There was a bang as Cara burst through the door. Omera whipped around and relief washed over her.

“Please tell me you got something,” she begged tiredly and Cara nodded. “Great. We need to give it to him now,” she said as she got up and prepared the medicine.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> More Omera/Mando fluff to follow. Stay tuned!


	6. Dawn

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In the morning, the worst has happened.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone! I had a lot of fun working on this chapter and listened to some truly epic music to help me stay inspired! In addition to reworking some of the older chapters because I wasn't as proud of how they turned out as I could have, I have also included some song selections to listen to as you read this fic. They are scattered throughout the story. I hope you like this next chapter! More to follow soon. As always rate and review!

Morning dawned clear and bright. The grass was still wet from the rain and squelched pleasantly when stepped on. The whole world seemed to glow in the new light. A beam of sun streamed through the crooked slats of the shutter on Omera’s hut and landed on Din’s peaceful face. He’d not budged all night since he had slipped into a fever-induced coma. He was unaware of Cara and Omera forcing medicine down his throat and applying a bacta patch to the wound in his side. He did not know that at one point, the women had given up trying to keep the baby separated from him and allowed the little creature to once again curl up against his side. He definitely couldn’t have known that long into the wee hours of the night, Omera held his hand and begged for the fever to break and for him to wake up. She had fallen asleep beside Din, unable to stay up any longer. Somewhere in the recess of her dreams, she heard a soft groan and immediately woke. She wanted to cry when she saw Din stirring. It was the first movement he’d made in hours. Sweat broke out on his face as his eyes fluttered open.

“Omera,” he sighed as she pressed the back of her hand against his forehead.

“O-oh thank goodness. Cara! Wake up, his fever broke!” she called before turning back to her patient. “I’m here,” she whispered. “I’m here.”

********

The child giggled as he sat on Din’s lap. Within several hours of waking up, he was starting to feel like his old self and was able to sit up. Omera had brought him a bowl of soup and encouraged him to eat before leaving and making sure no one else came to the hut. He picked up the little creature and held him at eye-level, letting those giant eyes take in his helmetless features.

“Well, kiddo, this is me,” he said, feeling almost a touch of what he chalked up to shyness. He had grown so used to having the helmet on he felt almost painfully vulnerable without it. The child squealed happily and grabbed his face in his three-fingered grasp. Din chuckled. “I’ll take that as approval.”

All of a sudden, he heard a loud commotion outside. It sounded like crying and screaming.

********

**(This part is best enjoyed while listening to _Way Down We Go_ by KALEO)**

Cara leaned against Omera’s hut. For the first time since they had landed on Sorgan, she felt like she could finally relax. Now that the Mandalorian had escaped the jaws of death, she could focus on the real reason she’d decided to come along with the Mandalorian; finding a permanent home and identity outside of being a former rebel shock trooper. She was deep in thought when all of a sudden she heard screaming and crying.

“Help! Help!” a woman screamed as she barreled headlong into the village and collapsed. A few curious villagers poked their heads out of their huts as Rob ran out to see what all the commotion was about. The woman in question was bloodied and the look of complete terror on her face spoke of something horrible and tragic. “H-He took my boy! He took him away! Everyone in the village. They’re gone!” she couldn’t keep herself from screaming.

Rob was at her side in a moment. “Someone, bring water! What happened? Was it Donaroy?” The woman nodded viciously and seemed to calm a little in Rob’s care. A villager brought a mug of cool water, which the woman accepted gratefully and drank while her racing pulse slowed. When she finished, she felt settled enough to speak.

“Donaroy’s army came, maybe twenty strong. The took everyone, and those that resisted, they killed. They killed my husband and they took my son. I think he’s enslaving our people.”

“That’s exactly what he’s doing.” Everyone turned and saw Din, helmet on, standing in the doorway.

“He’s going to enslave the planet, use them to mine natural resources and fuel his army and weapons. I don’t think he intends to stop with Sargon. I think he means to conquer the entire system.”

“Sargon is home to a very rare type of mineral found in the earth’s mantle. It’s very difficult to obtain and requires incredibly sophisticated equipment,” Rob explained as he stood up.

“That would explain the impressive base Donaroy has set up in the cliffs,” Cara offered.

“And what he meant when he was talking to Tenmarl about a drill. He was going to be delayed because he didn’t have enough men to move the drill, but now, if we’re going to stop him, it has to be now,” Din affirmed.

“But he almost killed you! We can’t possibly stop him,” Rob said defeatedly.

“I was almost killed because I went in alone. I won't be alone this time, because if we’re going to stop Donaroy, we’re going to need an army.”

“But we are not fighters,” one man piped up. “We’re just farmers.”

“Listen, before I enlisted for the Rebels I was just the daughter of a merchant. This is your home. If you want to survive, if you want to keep what’s yours sometimes you’ve got to fight for it. Now, are you going to let him take away your friends, your family, and your children and just stand by while he takes your home or are you going to do something about it?” Cara exclaimed, trying to rally the village.

“If we work together, we can take him down and end this threat once and for all. Who’s with me?” Din asked. It was silent for a few minutes.

“I am,” Omera said as she stepped forward.

“Me too,” another man said, following her lead. Soon another villager, and then another, and yet another stood forward until the whole village was rallying.

“Good. Now, we need to prepare. We leave soon,” Din said before retiring back to the hut. Omera followed him inside as Cara rushed off to help villagers with various battle tasks.

“You can’t be seriously thinking about going after him again. You’re weak. You need to rest,” Omera said firmly.

“I’m fine. We need all the manpower we can get. I’ve faced him once. I know what he’s capable of. He will destroy this entire planet, everything you hold dear. I can’t let that happen,” Din argued as he inspected his armor. It was a little beat up but nothing some fire and a claw hammer couldn’t fix.

“This isn’t your fight.”

At her words, he stood up, walked to her, and gripped her shoulders gently. She couldn’t read his expression behind his helmet, but he could read hers. He could see the genuine worry and concern in her eyes. “It is now,” he said softly as he tenderly brushed a lock of hair out of her face. She pressed her lips together and nodded in resolve.

“Alright. Show me how to fire this thing then. I want to be right with you,” she said, holding up his blaster that had remained out of use since he’d been brought back. He chuckled as he led her outside.

********

**(This part is best enjoyed while listening to _Start a War_ by Klergy and Valarie Broussard, especially the chorus)**

The sun was starting to set on the village was making last-minute preparations for battle. Cara was running through some final aiming techniques for the villagers who would serve as gunners alongside her. In their everyday lives they were the hunters for the village, but today they were soldiers. Rob was overseeing the sharpening of daggers and swords along with the assembly of staffs that also delivered a powerful electric shock and when turned on. They would be used by villagers who had experience spear-fishing. Their skills would serve them well. Surely their measly weapons would not stand a chance against the armor Donaroy and his armies wore, but it might buy them some time.

Din had heated his chest plate until it was once again malleable and hammered it with all his might into the right shape once more. He could feel his determination building with each pound of the hammer. There were people counting on him now; Omera, the Kid, Cara, this entire village. He'd be damned if he let them down again. He let the almost spiritual process of repairing his armor fuel his resolve until at last his chest plate looked almost as good as new. He was proud of his work. It wasn’t as expertly executed as the armorer back at the enclave would have done, and she might have chided him for his use of crude tools when handling Bhaskar, but it would protect him as it had before, and that’s all that mattered. Once it was cool enough to wear, he fitted it back on along with his bracers. He felt at home in his armor; he felt like himself again. He wasn’t going to let Donaroy win this time, or he would die trying.

“I think we’re ready, Mando,” Cara called as she ran up to him. Din looked up and saw the newly armored and armed villagers, led by Rob and Omera standing at the ready.

“Let’s go teach this warlord a lesson,” Din said with determination.


	7. The Rise of Sorgon

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The war for Sargon begins.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone! I thought I'd be awesome and add another chapter! I am so thankful for all the amazing support this story has received. I was very shy and scared to share it. I expect to finish this epic tale with chapter 8 so bare with me a little longer. As always, enjoy, rate and review, and enjoy the music!

**(This part is best enjoyed if read while listening to _Wars of Faith_ by Audiomachine)**

The little band of warriors led by a steely Mandalorian reached the cliffside base by midnight. Cara, along with the Child, and more of her gunners were just behind them in the _Razorcrest_. They would land on the base once Din and his troops on the ground had occupied Donaroy’s men. Even now he could hear the titan shouting orders from the landing pad. He motioned for his group to follow as they swiftly cam upon the entrance to an elevator that would lead up to the main building. There were two guards posted by the entrance but were soon disposed of quietly before they could even see their attackers.

“Alright, we’ll split up from here. I’ll try to keep his attention occupied until you can reach the landing pad,” Din ordered, trying to keep his voice from being heard by the enemy.

“Copy that,” Rob said affirmatively. He turned to his group. “Let’s go.”

Din turned to Omera. “You ready for this?”

“As ready as I’ll ever be,” she replied.

“Let’s do this.” The pair readied their grappling guns, fired the hook towards the landing pad, and once it caught hold of the deck, they repelled rapidly upwards. Din hardly had time to get centered or check to see if Omera had made it to the top before shots were fired in his direction. He pulled his blaster from his holster and started to fire, hitting guard after guard and clearing a path. Shots fired from behind him, also clearing enemies and he grinned. Omera was a fast learner.

Once the enemy fire had cleared a little, Din was able to take in their situation. A ginormous drill waited on the landing pad, waiting to be taken to it’s appointed location. He could see a dozen or so dejected-looking villagers all chained in a line together by collars around their necks. Judging by the way they were clinging to the drill, he surmised that they were part of the crew that would be responsible for helping move and operate the drill.

“We have to free them!” Omera called before firing at several oncoming soldiers. Floodlights were snapped on, lighting up the landing pad.

“Rob, time to move!” Din ordered over his headset.

“Affirmative.” Just as more soldiers flooded onto the landing pad, Rob and his group rushed out to meet them from inside the base. Now that Donaroy’s men had their hands full with the angry villagers, Omera and Din raced over to free the enslaved Sorgonians.

“How are we going to get everyone out of here?” Omera queried as Din used the small laser tool equipped in his left bracer to cut through the chains, releasing the prisoners.

“A huge ship is coming to move the drill. It has enough space to carry all of us back,” a boy no more than sixteen piped up.

“Who’s going to fly it,” Omera asked as she helped the villagers off the drill.

“I can,” a woman in her late twenties volunteered. “My father was a pilot and taught me everything he knows.”

“Great. Now just don’t get shot until that ship arrives,” Din directed. “Cara, come in. Drop your troops on the landing pad and try to keep the skies clear. We’re stealing one of their carriers to get everyone out.”

“Copy that,” Cara’s voice crackled over the radio. Within a few minutes, the _Razorcrest_ entered the skies around the base. She was able to move the ship in close enough to allow the gunners to jump out and join the fight before pulling up. An alarm sounded and more of Donaroy’s soldiers flooded the landing pad as turrets started to fire at the _Razorcrest_.

“We’ve got to disable those cannons! Cara can’t hold on forever!” Din called over the sound of blaster fire.

“There might be a way to shut them down inside!” Omera called back.

“Come with me!” Din fired shots left and right as he headed for the entrance to the base with Omera hot on his heels.

They reached the entrance and Din opened the door, allowing Omera to enter before following. Inside the base was quiet and peaceful; the noises of the war going on outside were muffled through the thick walls. The ran through the halls, unobstructed now that all the guards were preoccupied outside.

“This way,” Din said softly as he lead her to the room he’d first encountered the titan in. Sure enough, there was an impressive control panel on the west wall. “One of these should shut down the canons. Stand guard while I try to figure this out.” He studied the console, looking for the right button. A wrong button or switch could have disastrous consequences. He finally settled for a circular red button on the far left and without further hesitation, pressed it.

“Thanks for clearing my way, Mando!” Cara called over the radio and he sighed with relief.

“D-Din…” The fear in Omera’s voice caught his attention and he whipped around to see Donaroy towering over Omera, who was inching away in terror. He fired two shots, hitting Donaroy in the arm. The titan cried out and turned to see Din.

“Well, well, well. If it isn’t the Mandalorian, back from the dead,” he snickered as he moved towards Din.

“Yeah, you did a really shitty job of killing me,” Din taunted.

“Well don’t worry. I’ll make sure to kill you this time.”

**(This part is best enjoyed if read while listening to _At All Costs_ by Jonathan Maiocco)**

“Omera run!” Din cried before unleashing his whistling birds. Donaroy managed to block one with his shield, but the other two exploded around his face, burning the flesh and clouding his vision. Din ran at the giant with full force and slammed into him, toppling the already wobbly alien through the window onto the landing pad. Omera jumped through the shattered glass after the grappling pair and tried to take a few more shots.

For now, Donaroy was down. There was a deafening roar and Din looked up to see the aforementioned ship looming into view. “That’s the ship! We need to take out the pilot and get everyone on board!” he called to Rob who nodded and ran for the ship. Suddenly Donaroy groaned as he lumbered to his feet with surprising quickness.

“Insolent cowards! I’ll teach you to mess with me!” He took two steps towards Omera and wound his shielded arm back.

“Omera!” Din cried as he lept and caught her, covering her with his armored body as Donaroy hit both of them with full force. The pair was sent sprawling across the landing pad and laid motionless.

Cara had landed the _Razorcrest_ on the landing pad and was trying to help Rob usher frightened villagers into the waiting carrier when she heard the commotion and turned to see Din and Omera flying through the air and land on the ground. The titan started to plod towards him. She was so distracted by the spectacle that she didn’t notice the tiny green baby climb out of the ship with impressive dexterity.

Din lifted his head. His ears were still ringing from the impact but he was ok. He looked to Omera who was unconscious in his arms from the blow. He checked her pulse and found with relief that she was alright. He looked and saw Donaroy rushing towards them. Any second now he would crush them under his enormous weight. He held her prone body closed and squeezed his eyes shut as he waited for death to come. Only it didn’t. He looked up and to his shock, Donaroy was suspended in midair. The titan was just as shocked as he was.

“What is this?! What is going on!?” he cried. Din looked over and saw the tiny green child, arms up, eyes closed, in full concentration just like he’d been with the mud horn. With the last little bit of his effort, he swung the titan against the side of the massive drill before collapsing into a sleepy pile of robes.


	8. The Sacrifice

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> There's only one way to stop Donaroy as the battle for Sorgon comes to a thrilling end.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all so much for your love and support! This is the second to the last chapter and I have to say I'm so sad it's ending. It's been fun to write. I'm so gladd you all love the music! I intend to do more of this kind of thing in the future. As always, rate and review and enjoy the music!

Din watched as the titan was slammed against the drill by the tiny green Child and laid motionless. They just bought themselves some more time. He could see the little guy lying in a heap on the landing pad and fear gripped his heart. What if that had been too much for him? He turned to Omera in his arms and gently tried to shake her awake.

“Omera? Come on. You have to wake up,” he called to her softly. She groaned and started to stir. Suddenly the blaster fire started to grow incredibly heavy.

“They’ve got droids!” someone called and Din turned to see that indeed, an impressive army of humanoid looking droids marching out from within the base with Tenmarl leading. He wondered where that skeevy little creep had been hiding this whole time. The tides on this war were starting to turn very quickly.

“Rob!” Din called over his radio and the village chief was soon at his side. “Take her to the carrier, we need to get everyone on now and get out of here or we’ll be wiped out,” Din said hurriedly as he placed Omera’d limp body into Rob’s arms and bolted to the Kid before he was stepped on or worse.

“Shoot the Mandalorian! We’ll go back for the others!” Tenmarl ordered and the blaster fire started to concentrate on the figure running across the landing pad. Din dodged and fired where he could, and could feel shots pinging off his Bhaskar. He dove and scooped up the child before pulling himself behind the drill for cover. The fire continued to concentrate around the drill. The droids would shoot it to pieces and then him right behind it. Din looked to his left and saw the last few villagers climbing onto the carrier. He could see Omera, awake now, and searching for him. Cara had brought the _Razorcrest_ to hover beside the carrier and had lowered the ramp. She was standing on the edge, scanning frantically for him and the baby that had somehow escaped her care.

“I’m coming for you, Mandalorian!” Donaroy’s voice bellowed. He must have recovered from his encounter with the Child. “You won’t escape me this time!” Din felt defeat pulling at him. There was no way he could overthrow him by strength alone, and even with an army, there was no stopping him. Donaroy was going to win.

**(This part is best enjoyed if read while listening to _No Retreat, No Surrender_ by Audiomachine)**

Din looked at the little pile of robes in his arms, pulling them aside from a little so he could see the baby’s face. He saw to his relief that he was breathing and peaceful. Guilt burned in him. He couldn’t see how he was going to get them out of this unscathed.

“I’m sorry, Little One,” he thought sadly. As if hearing his thoughts, the Child stirred and opened his eyes and cooed at his father, as if content that he was once again in his arms. Din stared back at the little creature who had just saved his life and gently stroked his ear. This little guy was counting on him; he believed in him. He had to find a way out of this. He wasn’t going to give up. A blaster shot hit the drill quite close to his head and suddenly he got an idea. It was risky and could kill him, but it was the only way to stop Donaroy once and for all. To defeat a titan, sometimes you had to use one. He got to his feet and held the baby close to him as he hesitated half a second before rushing out into the gunfire, sprinting with all his might to the _Razorcrest_. More shots struck his armor as he ran, shielding the Child from harm.

“You won’t get away from me, Mandalorian!” Donaroy bellowed as he dashed after his victim. Din picked up speed, almost to the ship.

“Cara!” He called as slid to a stop. The ship was hovering just out of reach.

“Toss him up!” Cara called as she readied to catch the little creature. Din looked over his shoulder and saw Donaroy fast approaching. He hugged the Child close to him for only a moment before gently tossing him up to Cara. The Child squealed with joy, thinking they were playing as Cara caught him and quickly put him in a villager’s arm before turning back to the gaping entrance to the ship, expecting Din to jump up next and escaped. “DIN!” she screamed.

Din turned just as Donaroy shoved him off the side of the landing pad. Time seemed to stop. Cara stared into the misty abyss below it pure shock. There was no way he was going to survive that fall a second time. Not with his armor already compromised.

“NO!” Omera screamed as she watched Din fall out of sight. Sobs tore from her. Donaroy let out a bellowing laugh.

“Where’s your hero now?!” he taunted as he smacked his shield menacingly.

A collective sadness filled both ships as the villagers mourned the loss of their defender. There was no way they would be able to stop their home from crumbling down now. Suddenly there was a hissing sound and a loud clank. Cara scanned the landing pad for the source of the noise. Donaroy seemed just as confused and looked around. Cara spotted a cable with a grappling hook attached to it embedded in the steel of the drill. The end of the cable ran off the landing pad and was moving. She hardly dared to breathe. Another minute ticked by and a steel helmet poked up from over the side of the landing pad. Din pulled himself up and the villagers cheered.

“Impossible! Shoot him!” Donaroy cried. Din unhooked the cable from his bracer and charged Donaroy as he dodged shots left and right. The titan growled as he stood his ground. “Cease fire! I’ll kill him myself!”

Din continued to charge and at the last minute before Donaroy could crush him with his giant fists, he slid under his legs before getting up and banking hard to the left. He then juked to the right, leaping this way and that around Donaroy, who was getting angrier and more confused by the second.

“You coward! Come fight me!” he cawed at the Mandalorian who stopped by the drill. The wound that was nearly healed had opened up again and he was exhausted but he was going to finish this. He just needed to get Donaroy to walk a few steps.

“You’re going to lose, Donaroy. You’ve been beaten,” he jeered. The titan growled and started to charge.

“I’ll show you who’s-“ he stopped abruptly as he fell with a loud crash, his legs tangled up in Din’s cable. Din flicked the lever that turned the drill on and the massive machine started to barrel forward towards the base, with a still tangled Donaroy attached to it.

“Kill him now! Kill them all!” Donaroy cried as he tried to free himself but to no avail. The drill plunged through the wall of the base like it was paper and continued forward. Din took that as his cue to leave. It would hit the power generator in about thirty seconds and blow the entire base up. He turned to run for the ship, but not without a well-aimed shot, which killed Tenmarl.

“Get back!” he called loudly to his allies, who pulled the ships as far back as they could. It was going to be a leap of faith for sure. He continued to run, ignoring the sound of the drill hitting the reactor core and triggering a massive explosion.

He ran to the edge and leaped with all his might in the direction of the _Razorcrest_. If he fell to his death today, he knew that at least everyone would be safe. Cara stood on the ramp, reaching for him but she was still an inch or so too far. He was going to fall. He reached as far as he could and caught the edge of the ramp with his gloved fingers. Cara didn’t hesitate to pull him up as the ships moved away from the destruction as fast as they could. Din turned to observe the ruins of the base. Kamjuda Donaroy was dead, and the people of Sorgon were free.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The conclusion coming soon!


	9. The Parting

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Din and Cara consider their future on Sargon.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I just wanted to thank everyone for all the amazing support. I was sad to write this last chapter because I was afraid that it might be the end. But then I was struck with some brilliant ideas and now it's the first installment of an awesome series I'm concocting in which Din and Omera actually end up together so stay tuned! There is more whump and romance coming in future stories! Anyways, here's the concluding chapter!

Din recovered over the next several days after the Battle of Sargon, as it came to be called. Omera and the Child never left his side. Since he wasn’t dying, he left the helmet on but opted to leave the rest of his armor off so that he could feel Omera’s touch as she cared for him. Things were peaceful and calm once again in the little village. On the fourth day, Din was able to get up and walk about. He chose to sit just outside the hut and watch his adopted son through his visor play with some of the village children. Cara was patrolling the range, ensuring that none of Donaroy’s men had escaped and were looking to exact revenge. There had been one or two alleged sightings, but nothing tangible. Omera was returning from getting water from the village well when she spotted the helmeted man sitting and observing. She wished she could see his face.

“Well you’re looking much better,” she said casually as she brought the bucket to the hut.

“Yes. I feel better. Thank you,” he replied. He couldn’t deny he had feelings for her. He’d felt them since the minute he’d laid eyes on her, but everything was just so complicated with his creed and the Kid. Bounty hunters were still out there, combing the galaxy for them. Sargon was remote but they couldn’t hide forever.

Omera chuckled softly as she saw the little green baby waddling around, trying to catch a ball the other children were rolling on the ground. “He seems very happy here,” she observed.

“I think he is,” Din replied. He felt guilty. The poor kid had been cooped up in the ship since he was rescued. And then he dragged him into this whole messy business with Donaroy and almost got him killed. That was no life for a kid. Omera could almost hear his thoughts, and she finally gathered the courage to say what she’d been thinking since she first saw Din.

“You could stay here and raise your son. I think you’ve earned a rest for a while.”

Din looked at the kid and then at Omera. He didn’t know how he could go back to spending his nights in the cramped cockpit of his ship without her gentle presence. It would be so easy to take the helmet off, for real this time, and never put it back on again. He turned to her.

“Omera…I-” he was cut off when loud gunfire sounded. His first reflex was to run to the kid and make sure he was alright. The children screamed, startled by the sound, and scattered, leaving the Child to start whimpering and hold his arms up towards his father. Din scooped him up and cradled him gently. “It’s ok,” he murmured comfortingly.

He turned and saw a pale-faced Cara coming down from the hill to the village, lugging the armored covered body of a Dug behind her. She reached Din and let the body drop to his feet. He could see she had shot him in the back of the head.

“He doesn’t look like one of Donaroy’s men.”

“He’s not,” Cara said with dread in her voice as she held a tracking fob out to him. “He had this with him.”

Din’s heart sank as he took the fob from Cara. He thought he had weeks, but already bounty hunters were starting to close in on the little duo. He turned to look at Omera. She knew something wasn’t right. His helmet was completely expressionless, but she knew when he looked at her that everything was about to change.

He slowly trudged up to her with the baby in his arms. “We have to leave. It’s not safe for us here anymore.” Omera nodded, tears brimming in her eyes.

********

Within an hour, the _Razorcrest_ was loaded with provisions. The entire village gathered to say goodbye to the man that had given them the courage to fight for their home.

“So you sure you want to stay here?” Din asked Cara as they walked to the ship. They paused and turned to face each other. Cara smiled.

“Yeah, I want to make sure there’s nothing left of Donaroy. I have a feeling a few of his men escaped. Want to make sure it’s all cleaned up.”

“Well, until our paths cross,” he said holding out his hand. She grinned and shook it firmly.

“Until our paths cross.”

He picked up the kid who had been clinging to his leg and started to walk to the ship.

“Mando! Wait!” A voice called and he turned to see Omera running up to him.

“Omera…” Before he could say anything forward she put her hands on either side of his helmet and lifted it just a little to reveal his mouth. She leaned in and kissed him gently. He cupped her cheek with one hand as he returned her kiss. God, that kiss was going to stay with him for a long time.

“Be safe,” she said softly and she lowered his helmet again. He grabbed her hand.

“I promise, I’ll return once it’s safe,” he said. “You have my word."

She nodded, trying not to cry as he walked up the ramp into the ship. He pushed the button and looked back one last time at the village he’d saved the friend he was leaving behind and the woman he had fallen in love with.

He sat in the cockpit and turned on the ship. He couldn’t bring himself to watch as they took off, leaving the village far below. Once they were out of the atmosphere and well on their way, he sat the kid on his lap.

“Well, it’s just us two now.” The baby babbled and cooed at him as he looked up at his adopted father with his big eyes. “I promise, I’m not going to let anything happen to you. I will protect you.” The Kid chirped as if he understood.

Din pushed a few buttons and soon the _Razorcrest_ entered hyperspace, carrying them far away from Sargon.  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Stay tuned for the next installment in this series!


End file.
